Health Protection Agency (HPA) enacted monitoring measures on 13 locations in the capital city of Male' following an increase of confirmed COVID-19 cases on Sunday.
Speaking at a press conference held online by the National Emergency Operations Center (NEOC), Communications Undersecretary at the President's Office Mabrouq Abdul Azeez stated that the areas, as well as seven islands were placed under monitoring as part of HPA's effort to conduct contact tracing.
The locations consist of Gaakoshi 6/03, Kochark in Galolhu Ward, Ameen staff block, a saloon in the vicinity of Sheesha Show Room, apartment 1 on the third floor of Climate in Maafannu Ward, apartment 4B on the fourth floor of Nooraanee in Galolhu Ward and Retail outlet Luxury as well as all outlets in the area.
The islands placed under monitoring are Uligan, Thuraakunu, Ihavandhoo, Thakandhoo, Hirimaradhoo, Hoarafushi, and Vaikaradhoo in Haa Alifu Atoll.
Maldives' first confirmed case of COVID-19 from Male' was recorded on April 15, prompting a 24-hour lockdown of the capital. The following day, HPA extended the lockdown on greater Male region for a period of 14 days after new cases surfaced in the capital.
At present, the country has not identified an index patient for the outbreak.
Authorities have repeatedly called on the public to adhere to lockdown guidelines and heed isolation and social distancing measures, in order to flatten the curve and curb the spread of the virus.
Maldives now has 51 confirmed and 35 active cases of COVID-19, with a total of 16 recoveries. Of the above, a total of 31 positive cases were found in capital city Male', one of the most densely populated areas in the world.
The World Health Organization has classified the spread of COVID-19 as a global pandemic. The novel coronavirus has infected over 2.3 million people and claimed over 160,783 lives around the world. However, out of those infected, more than 599,997 people have recovered.
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